The great middle path – redux

Several months ago I wrote the Great Middle Path and posted it on Scientology-cult.com under the pseudonym Sitting Bull. It is the only posting I have ever made under another name than my own. I only did so out of respect for the other authors of articles there – none of whom were able at the time to use their names for a variety of defensive reasons. I have updated the article with facts that have occurred since its original posting which tend to support its contentions. The updated article follows:

The Great Middle Path

According to the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) the way toward light is along the great middle path. That is, an intelligent, righteous pursuit of truth that bypasses the distractions of the extremes. Neither extreme asceticism nor extreme engagement in entertainments of the flesh leads anywhere but to from below whence one came.
Observing the Scientology spectrum within such a framework is quite interesting. The extreme, reactionary far right of the spectrum is occupied by David Miscavige (DM). He is so obsessed with maintaining his image as the only one who is really “On Source” that he consistently implements policies (written and oral) that are changing the very nature of the subject for the worse by assuming the role of Source.
Scientology once consistently assisted people in becoming more themselves, more tolerant, more questioning of authority, more independent of thought, more insouciant, more free. Under DM those pursuing the highest levels of spiritual attainment in Scientology are instead becoming less themselves and more what he wants them to be: more intolerant, less capable of independent thought, more serious, and more imprisoned. And all that comes with an ever increasing financial price – so let’s add “more worried about future survival” to the list.
DM seems to be working hard to turn the only road to total freedom into the rocky road to virtual captivity.
The extreme, rebellious far left of the Scientology spectrum is occupied by those who would not be satisfied until every last word of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard was forever destroyed. The the anti-Scientology extreme cut its teeth on the purported purpose line of restoring freedom of speech and thought on the subject. Ironically, that very group is now demanding that everything L Ron Hubbard ever issued be burned in one colossal Spanish Inquisition-esque bonfire.

Thus, the antis have turned freedom to think and speak into freedom to think and speak as we do.

Both extremes of the spectrum seem to have settled on one strong point of agreement. That is – getting the other guy is everything. What neither side seems to understand is that the generalization of their intentions toward one another only empowers the other side. Unfortunately, the folly of these factions comes at the expense of the largely innocent majority.

DM loves nothing more than appointing an enemy of Scientology to justify his continued, escalating abuses and ravenous money collection. To the degree criticisms are generalized to the subject or even to staff or public, DM gets a pass. He is only too happy to have his own criminal acts hung on innocent people (Scientologists at large) so that he can position himself as their protector.
This was done in spades with the Freedom magazine published and distributed in response to the Truth Rundown series by the St. Petersburg Times. While the series focused very specifically on the well witnessed human rights abuses of Miscavige himself, and each source made a point to assert said acts were in violation of all that Scientology and LRH stand for, DM came right out of the blocks in Freedom trying to shift the blame. The first column of the first page of text accused the Times of “incit[ing] hatred against Scientologists”, “painting[ing] a false picture of the Scientology religion”, “unfairly stigmatiz[ing] Scientologists”, and accused the Times’ of being “biased” and demonstrating “bigotry”. Incidentally, I received a number of reports from public who were crush reged to contribute large sums of money for this tripe. They too were told falsehoods about their religion being under attack.

With his generalization of his own sordid conduct projected onto Scientology, and his dishonesty about the nature of exposures of same, DM encourages well-meaning Scientologists to continue funding his war chest which he uses to silence truth.

On the other side of the spectrum, DM pours gasoline on the critics’ fire by his intolerant, aggressive, and anti-social responses to their hue and cry. Any criticism no matter how valid – and the most warranted criticism is always directed at his own conduct – is characterized by DM as “anti-Scientology.” Since an SP is incapable of any self-recognition of wrong-doing, instead of correcting his abuses DM steps them up and keeps producing future enemies, all the while driving mere critics into the anti-Scientology camp by his efforts to censor and destroy them.

The relative minority of Scientology haters (far, far left) – those who favor book banning and burning and coercive tactics used to alter people’s beliefs – similarly use the DM led suppression tactics to paint the entire religion of Scientology as pernicious and worthy of dismantling.To them, everything about Scientology must go – including the peaceful practice of its philosophy, even when done sans the policies they use to justify all their broadsides against the religion itself.

To those who enjoy conflict and strife the opposite extremes of the Scientology spectrum are a match made in heaven. Spewing generalities is the stock-in-trade of both sides, and those generalities further empower either side. In the final analysis, those who generalize their attacks on Scientology and Scientologists are DM’s best friends. By the same token, DM by his penchant for generalizing any valid criticism of his own conduct as “anti-Scientology” is the greatest ally of the anti-Scientologist. They keep one another in business.

Since the original posting of the Great Middle Path, the attacks on the middle by both DM and the Haters has rang out in near perfect harmony (in fact dissonance). DM and the Haters want me and other independent minded Scientologists silenced at any cost. DM and the Haters want Scientology (the philosophy, the religion) destroyed and are doing their damnedest to make it happen.

DM resonates with Haters because his chronic tone level is HATE. The 1.5 horizontal column (closest to Hate there is) in Science of Survival reads like it was tailor made for DM. For example, those who have been around him much will readily recognize the applicability of these easily visible traits:

Both extremes of the spectrum are died in the wool Haters. They are busy keeping the innocent many embroiled, diverted and confused – while they empower one another. Empowering the extreme minorities only leads the peaceful majority toward the fringes of darkness. The light shines upon a place far from the dark extremes of the spectrum.

Look for the alignment between DM’s actions and utterances and those of the anti-Scientology Haters. Recognize, Haters are friends of Dave. And Dave is the best friend of the anti-Scientologist.

I must admit that I was first put off by someone having the audacity to take on the Nom De Plume of “Sitting Bull”, and then mangle the metaphor by quoting Siddhartha Guatama when I saw the article first published. I have great respect for both of those individuals and their accomplishments. So I am glad that proper source can finally be acknowledged.

To me, this extremism is “par for the course” as far as humanity is concerned. I do believe LRH had a philosophic as well as a technical answer for dealing with it, but it has become “lost” in the mix. This is not the correct venue to delve in to the technical specifics, but I will just say that in the 1974 Grade Chart, LRH laid out 3 different “Clears”: MEST Clear, Theta Clear and Cleared Theta Clear. Different technologies, different results. All are obtainable. By collapsing “Clear” in to one concept (for marketing purposes?) some vital technology has been lost. I think Mankind is deserving of that technology, if it is helpful to them as individuals in their own estimation. That is why I am here.

Let truth and freedom ring. Once again, the unmistakable sound of equilibrium!

I’ve experienced both, the personal peace and liberation of the true original intention of Scientology, and the chicanery that is passed off as .Scientology currently. In my opinion, the current church entity is an impostor.

It would not be the first time in history that a person or persons with personal agendas of grandeur have hijacked a religion and perpetrated control and domination under the guise of self-righteousness.

Thanks for this brilliant post. It takes a lot to sort out the confusing elements, not to mention to speak them lucidly and stand up for what is right.

Wonderful Marty. As usual, wise and calmly stated ideas that give one reading them pause for contemplation as to where we’ve all been and just where might consider going next on our respective individual and community journey.

PS. In this sentence, “Since the original posting of the Great Middle Path, the attacks on the middle by both DM and the Haters has rang out in near perfect harmony (in fact dissonance)”,
don’t you mean resonance instead of dissonance, which has the opposite meaning of harmony?
(http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/dissonance)

Mickey,
How about resonating dissonance. A complex pattern that is a dissonance that is resonating. That is, from one end is a motion that is messed up, it goes across to the other terminal, is picked up, and meets a comparable dissonance that is then sent back. Back and forth it goes in the space between and it becomes almost a standing wave of non-smooth type. Sort of like a GPM. Which it is.

(apologies for the long post but for me this is important – hopefully for some others as well)

Thanks for this post. Indeed the Middle Way was what made Buddhism different from the existing wisdom traditions during his time.

And continues to make it different.

I did find referencing the Buddha and then stating … “DM seems to be working hard to turn the ONLY road to total freedom into the rocky road to virtual captivity” to be somewhat non-middle way L) — in that buddhists don’t claim to be THE only way to enlightenment and one of the key difficulties, I feel with Scn is that it has ALWAYS claimed to be THE only way to freedom.

How do you KNOW that you are right about this when in fact, you do not know the other paths? Moreover, since we are very unique as individuals – what resonates with one, won’t with another.

Perhaps the most MIDDLE WAY approach would be to broadly, confidently state that for you and other independents it is YOUR chosen path to freedom.

This restatement of intention then opens the door for other former Scientologists who have searched and found a different path for themselves to warmly support your endeavors in the independent arena. Otherwise, you run a risk of losing that support.

Not in an aggressive, left-wing hate Scn, LRH approach but in a oh well guess I’m not really welcome here.

I’m interested in seeing your movement grow and as far as I can tell — inclusion is really the only way. Which can translate to: tolerance of others chosen paths. This tolerance isn’t “putting up with” but a genuine acknowledgement of a religious belief that is different.

If the core tenants are the same — basic goodness, kindness, etc. then it behooves all of us to embrace each other.

OTHERWISE — as so happens on this planet – sides will polarize and the downward spiral continues until we no longer have a planet to argue on.

Thanks. I have friends that have turned from Scientology to a number of ways: Hinduism, New Age, etc. I don’t trip on them and they don’t trip on me. We are friends, but they don’t necessarily agree with what I am doing.

On almost any blog on the Internet, one would generally be immediately banned for such a grave personal insult to the owner of the blog.

Marty’s remark that you cited only indicates his degree of belief/faith in his own subject – Scientology. To equate that faith with “delusion” is an insult to each and every practicing Scientologist reading this, not just Marty.

Surely it was not your intent to offend each and every faithful Scientologist who reads and posts here? Only a hateful person would do that on purpose.

EB,
This isn’t hubris on either Marty’s or LRH’s part on the idea of the ‘only road to freedom’. I understand these words can be and are a ‘button’ for some. Relax.

In a tape from the early 50’s Cause and Effect, Part II, in your R&D volumes, LRH uses the word ‘scientology’, he says ‘a scientology’ and he defines exactly what he means by this term.

He is very inclusive in his definition. Shortly after this time period he codified the Scientology Axioms, as well as the so-called ‘Qs’ (which he says at the time are the highest level postulates so far attained and are at that time ‘questionable’, hence the ‘Q’) and the Factors.

The Bridge to Total Freedom are the technical steps to follow to achieve that freedom and address the points described in the Axioms, Qs, Factors etc.

Scientology also clarifies what is ‘freedom’ and uses this term to mean something in the context of it’s materials.

If you want to eat Twinkies to the point of spiritual freedom from a large and dysfunctional body, have at it. You will be ‘free’ from that body and achieved a measure of ‘freedom’.

Rather than parsing each and every word and treating them as objects, thrown about and impinging on erected ‘buttons’, sit back a bit, relax and enjoy life.

Eldon Braun, you seem to be looking down at Marty from your pedestal. Also, you know how you end your comment with the delusional question? Have you ever seen the movie “Gaslight”? (See my reply to BadMutha below for more) It’s a fabulous classic thriller … chilling to watch a guy in action trying to undermine another person’s perceptions! He asks calculated questions and does actions to make his wife believe she is crazy. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. Your question reminded me of it.

However, gaslighting is more like what David Miscavige did and does to his staff. It’s a brainwashing tactic, and almost always takes place in person. Also, being a bit delusional is a lower gradient than being hallucinatory.

Introducing cognitive dissonance by questioning absolutist beliefs is often done in deprogramming. Indeed, I think former cult members often remain somewhat delusional in certain areas for some time — up to twelve years according to experts like Flo Conway.

Another pearl Marty. Bringing sanity and order into this whole area where so many have had similar experiences , but which have resulted in so many divergent viewpoints on what to make of it and where to go with it. Are you sure your from Texas?

Dear Marty,
we have been following your site and posts since a few months and they have been very revealing.
All makes sense now and we are in Scientology since 74 – It is a couple of decades that things were not making full sense and so we were questioning our selves without being able to give the right answers but mainly rationalizing the outpoints.
We think there is no more need of rationalizing them now – They are and have been huge outpoints and the “situation” was there all the time but too cruel and evil to confront.
Scientology became the reverse of what was intended – we and people like us devoted their live for the goal that we wanted to achieve personally and for the 4th dynamic.
This goal has been betrayed – big times – things have been kept hidden to us as “confidential” or some other reason – Scientologists became slaves and intimidated into way of thinking and behaving , instead of increasing ones space, universe, or ability – they have been made smaller. The power of choice has been made nul. The aestethic band and rightness embedded in scientology made it seem somehow right , part of the truth was given but then has been used to enslave. For this we really thank you and all the other whistle blower for giving us the “thruth rundown” – So far it has been a RD in the fullest sense. We went tru it , blew charge, laughed , cried and in part the PTSness that was there since a LONG time has been reduced now is almost gone – We were looking for the source of it, something was WRONG in our lifes.
Me and my wife are at the top of the bridge – for security reason we cannot be more specific for now.
The Great Middle Path is the right one.

“The aestethic band and rightness embedded in scientology made it seem somehow right , part of the truth was given but then has been used to enslave.”

That’s probably the clearest 0ne-sentence summary of reverse scientology I have seen. Spot on. I would only add/ask, there can be no “security reasons” that I can think of that would prevent one from stepping right out into the sunlight – is there? Others have argued this point but surely freedom and truth is the best security anyone can have.

We would love to step right out into the sunlight and be sure we have always been very open in our choice in life and very pioneering – the “security reasons” are part of a temporary tattic caused by the fact of having two sons currently in the SO.
We tried to bring truth to them but is a very hard work it is not getting to them for now – we saw that the things we were telling them were above their head – they are “into” it !! I’s very sad , we have always tried to raise them in truth and self determinism but they are just getting the reverse of it- so we need to play it like this for now.
This is also the reason we wrote that the PTSness is “almost” gone.
We agree that freedom and truth are the best security and we will have them back!

I have had to live with both sides, the Haters and the DM kool aide drinkers and I have seen exactly how they feed eachother as you describe. Couldn’t be more accurate.

Several people I knew “mere critics” , are now verging on the fringe of hate. But only because they were harassed, insulted for hours, declared suppressive, lied to, and denied communication with family, etc. Especially those who never had the wins others might have had – it’s just a hop, skip and jump from there to being a hater, after you’ve been ceaselessly harassed.

It seems one of DMs personal statistics is something along the lines of # of enemies attacking or hating the church.

The Middle Path is where it’s at and I’m happy to see more and more people walking it.

Are comments from those of us in the far left hater camp welcome here? If not – i can respect that.

If so, I would just like to point out that finding a middle path requires a well balanced amount of input and a well balanced amount of opinions for all camps that encompasses all shades of gray and not just the all-black and the all-white.

If you can accept that, then surely you can accept that after 50yrs of flat out bigotry against the entire human race in the form of LRH’s use of “wog” to denigrate non-scientologists has earned itself the right to reap what has been sown and that karma needs to run it course before balance will be achieved.

Thus i have no shame for being a hater, and even tho I do not support book burning and banning of all things scientology in the extreme, i do support 50yrs of the world at large dishing up an equal amount of gross bigotry to settle the score for Hubbard’s disgusting connotations of “wog” and implications that has unleashed in the general mindset of scientologists.

And if by chance, after 50yrs of reaping what has been sown, it comes to be that the entire body of LRH’s works is still around – well then so be it, it stood test of time.

But if by chance after 50yrs of enduring ‘what comes around goes around’ the LRH body of works is reduced to a handful of useful “techniques” and not touted as the only workable solution/technology, well then the test of time will prove that the far left haters did the world at large a good deed.

I mean no disrespect with these words, but with transparency and critical thinking comes the burden of taking criticism into account as well as acceptance of walking in the other persons shoes… and for those who cant understand why the wog world increasingly finds scientology practices as a whole well worth hating on, then methinks an equal dose of bigotry has been well earned.

Yes, there has been a culture built up inside the C of S that really needs to be overturned and a new culture of human compassion, dignity, and tolerance put in place of it. I would like you to know that I have worked with non-Scns most of my adult life and I would never dream of calling any of them a wog. There’s work to be done, changes to be made and it will take time to turn the tide. And yes, I completely understand that Scns have often caused antagonism. I am hopeful that this evolution will find Scns back in the mix of mainstream society in a positive and rewarding way for everybody involved.

Actually I’m upset by the big huge laundry list of controveries surrounding CofS, all of which the tech failed to prevent and failed to rectify before it was too late. And the blatant denial that all of the problems being blamed on DM where fostered in an environment created by the source who likewise failed to have the foresight to realize how easily it would go off the rails.

But all those issues are off topic and I figured it would only fall on deaf ears, thus i picked a button that was on topic and pushed it – figuring that it would be enlightening to watch the freak out rage infused reactions of folks who claim to be the experts on managing the reactive mind.

I fully expected my comment wouldnt be approved, but I was wrong and very glad to see that I was wrong – perhaps there is hope for a honest accounting of how Scientology got to the where it is today.

I also suspected all the responses my remarks would get if my comments were posted, would be the typical gross generalizations spewed forth with vitriol and nonsense that would highlight how the worst demeanors of the human race are common place for most Scientologist. Just like yours were RJ – btw thanks for entertainment, priceless lulz are pricesless!!

What i did not expect, nor think was even possible, was Maria’s beautiful words stated in an open, honest way fully intouch with reality of why word sees Scientology the way it does. And I thank her for that – proof there really is some good in people who follow the tech and that all the claims of what Scientology is supposed to do isnt just bs. I’m slightly ashamed of my original remarks in light of Maria’s response and that too i consider a very good thing.

Now as far as the other batshit ravings, since the lulz was delicously I’ll indulge your rage. I am a Christian yet my peers, colleagues, mentors, and former professors who I have the most respect for above all other happen to be Jewish and love them for their faith and traditions. Meanwhile my closest friends are atheists, and I love them for the strength of their convictions.

But if any of those people who are non-believers that mean the most too me where to suddenly begin worshipping the works of a man who fancied himself the anti-christ and consider that a religion, then I call likewise call a spade a spade – label their source pure evil and all things directly, indirectly, and distantly related to source likewise fruit of the poision tree and therefore evil.

And as a Christian, its only natural for me to hate all evil that taints the beautiful world God created. And if by chance the big long laundry list of controversies surrounding Scientology is stopped and the proper penance is paid, then there wont be anymore reason to embrace my hate and do whatever it is I can to counter the things i find repulsive & despicable in order to make the world a better place.

Out of curiosity, as a conscientious Christian what have you done to curb rampant child abuse of the Catholic Church, the Iraq war that was instituted by an American very high profile Christian who claimed it was done at the behest of the good Lord and was launched as a “Crusade”, and widespread promotion of unfettered greed from many evangelical pulpits that has fostered one of the greatest world economic disasters on record? Please answer the question in full before continuing to insult Scientologists who are sticking their necks out to reform corruption within their own church.

Hey cool Anon Lover! It’s really great you are thinking for yourself!! I always find that an ongoing process. I realize the “Us” vs. “Them” is a created illusion. The minute you say “white People” “Black People” Men” “women” Anons” “Haters” “scientologists” …it’s just too big a sweeping category.

Just wanted to add, that the actual use of the word wog as it is currently used in mythcavology is not in accordance with the actual definition. “Worthy Oriental Gentleman” refers to a specific attitude of some people and not to every non-Scientologist. It was postulated that such attitude would not flourish in Scientology, sadly it has become the order of the day. This is the true origin of the word, I have always been keenly aware of how so many non scientologist are nothing like a wog, and painfully so many who call themselves Scientologist are anything but.

I’m sorry this has become a word that applies to all non Scientology things and derogatorily so. I know this is not how LRH intended it.

You may be an authority on the term WOG as used in the non-scientology vernacular, but in 3 or 4 tapes in the Saint Hill Special Briefing Course, LRH describes in some detail the attitude of a “Worthy Oriental Gentleman” complete with the “I withhold my foul breath from you oh worthy sir” fawning attitude, submissive and propitiative, he further explains that this attitude is insidious, as though you may find it polite, it really is propitiative, further, he explains a WOG is someone who is not even trying.
As urged by Voltaire, he was defining his terms, and if he says that this is what he means, then that is what he means. So I wager that the use LRH instituted of this word is NOT what you have found in Wikipedia. This sort of things do happen you know? Two very different words spelled similarly.
And as far as Scientologeese, I have studied it for over 3 decades, I’d say that qualifies me as an authority.

Marty, you describe two groups that you see as being the opposite extremes: DM on one side, and the Scientology haters on the other.

Maybe there’s a third extreme group, and that would be those who won’t point at one single thing about Scientology that LRH wrote that should be done away with because it’s just wrong.

Is there Anything that came from LRH’s lips or pen that you think has no place in a religion, because it results in people being harmed? Are those words too strong? To put it more gently, is there anything that should at least be modified?

I am not a hater or a book burner. I’m just a wog who wonders about things like believing in “homo novis” which sounds like racism or elitism to me, or disconnection, or declaring people SP, or even writing KR’s or sec checks, which to me should never happen. You could argue that there are people who are evil and need to be disconnected from, but really? How often in life do you come across such people? I have known maybe 1-2 in my 50+ years.

So, I know I am a guest here, and appreciate that I may be interfering, but I want to ask, because I have read your interviews in the SP Times, and I have watched your interviews, and read a lot of this blog, but as far as I can tell you haven’t addressed if there is anything about the tech or LRH’s writings that you would change.

If there is, maybe you think it’s there between the lines, but I don’t think so, and I am curious to know. And it would be great if you could be specific, not just, “Oh there are a few things here and there.”

If you can’t think of anything concrete, then that’s the answer. I am not going to judge, but I think some people would like to know. Thanks in advance.

Yes, there are things that LRH said, in the heat of the moment, in times of stress, as jokes, and within very specific contexts. There were also things he said that were downright offensive. He was far from perfect.

Charismatic, charming, helpful, kind, tyrannical at times, funny, outrageous, unorthodox, he really runs the gamut. He very often “ate crow” and said so.

And so it is with lots of people, the difference being that they were never recorded. I think that if we all had hidden cameras in our households unbeknownst to us, we’d be caught saying things we’d never dream of saying in public. And we’d probably sound like raving maniacs at times.

But done is done, the works were recorded and they can’t really be taken back now.

Then there are materials that are actually out of date and they do need to be updated or at least footnoted.

The other thing that happens is that a particular article will be used without considering the overarching purpose of the materials.

There are others too.

On a positive note, one of the last written works by LRH was the booklet “The Way to Happiness,” in which he clearly states his belief on establishing how to treat people well and with dignity. For purists, this final work supersedes all other works and so terms like “wog,” need to go the way of the dinosaur.

That, I believe, is part and parcel of this middle way Marty advocates.

Maria,
Yours is a voice of reason (or “reasonableness”) in the good sense. Even if the existing organization can be salvaged after nearly 30 years of Miscavige, which I doubt, a lot of changes would be needed to make Scientology mainstream enough to pass as a “new religion.” Dunno if you saw Pat Harney’s attack on Catholicism in her recent op-ed piece. Pitiful.http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/for-times-an-obsession-trumps-facts/1051100

A timely post. This afternoon I had a conversation with a 20 years + SO vet who is very thoroughly disconnected with a parent. It was rather depressing; this SO member would not even want to talk about the parent. Now I happen to know this individual rather well, and it is beyond doubt to me that he loves the parent and of course the parent is desperate to talk to him. Having seen this situation from the other side I know the mindset. Parent is an SP (even though (s)he is an OT). Hooking up would itself therefore be “suppressive”. And so on.

The point is, this seems far removed from the basic tenets of Scientology as laid out in NSOL, FOT and especially POW (section on ARC). What, in the name of reason, is the freaking point of “doing the basics” if actually applying them in the real world is unpalatable because of some real or imagined current Church doctrine.

This post, following on as it does from TWTH post and the OT VIII success stories post shows a theme – there is a fundamental lack of basic humanity in today’s brave new world of Miscavology. It wasn’t always thus. Let’s make ARC mean something and love “despite all”.

The article also lays bare the dichotomy or GPM that many of us are stuck in the middle of that dramitize the same tone level which reminds me of the common justification used by CIA during the Cold War in that they had to use totalitarian tactics in order to fight a totalitarian state. In other words become your enemy!

Time for the poem and this is how I feel about this whole movement. This is for Marty, Dan, Rinder, Devoct and all of the Independant Scientologistswho have stepped forward and for those of us who will step forward in the near future:

“They ask me how I feel
And if my love is real
And how I know I’ll make it through.
And they, they look at me and frown,
They’d like to drive me from this town,
They don’t want me around
‘Cause I believe in you.

They show me to the door,
They say don’t come back no more
‘Cause I don’t be like they’d like me to,
And I walk out on my own
A thousand miles from home
But I don’t feel alone
‘Cause I believe in you.

Don’t let me drift too far,
Keep me where you are
Where I will always be renewed.
And that which you’ve given me today
Is worth more than I could pay
And no matter what they say
I believe in you.

I believe in you when winter turn to summer,
I believe in you when white turn to black,
I believe in you even though I be outnumbered.
Oh, though the earth may shake me
Oh, though my friends forsake me
Oh, even that couldn’t make me go back.

Don’t let me change my heart,
Keep me set apart
From all the plans they do pursue.
And I, I don’t mind the pain
Don’t mind the driving rain
I know I will sustain
‘Cause I believe in you.”

Marty everyday I start my day, I have been going into the Internet to find some news about Scientology or if something is happening. I have been following your blog for some months now.

Today, as I was reading your post I felt true philosophy exists. Call it Scientology, call it what you want. There have been other beings than LRH and there will be more, supporting true philosophy.

I am proud that we are of the S.O. I am proud that we have been there and we have studied and applied as a way of life, a Middle Way, a very different way. I am proud we are out of those extremes you mention very rightly.

I remember reading LRH and understanding polarity (maybe I make some mistake, because I am not a physisist). However, polarity comes from 2 opposing terminals and there is a base underneath to keep them separate. Thus there is energy created, in our case Hatred with the purpose to destroy the subject of freeing beings.

With your writings, your teachings, your fresh 21st century authoring and messaging for humans you bring back the light we have been missing for so long.

This is not a compliment. As I was reading this top post of yours I felt the fire inside me cooling down and sanity coming in.

This is what LRH did. Observing and pointing out things by writing to people. And to come back to the fire, hatred and joking side of a human: I would like to see some of DM’s writings, ha ha. Sorry for my human nature and H&Ry ending, but I couldn’t help it.

Marty, I have seen a lot of information from various camps and I am not aware of nor heard of anyone who advocates burning L. Ron Hubbard’s books or any censoring Scientology materials.

Keep in mind that many critics have actually worked quite diligently to maintain the availability and distribution of the Church’s materials, oftentimes to the its great frustration and consternation (the Tom Cruise Video and the upper OT materials, for example).

And until the story breaks that Anonymous beats its members or holds them prisoner in some secret guarded facility, I’m afraid your paradigm of a fringe equally as vicious as DM’s is going to remain somewhat flawed.

What is interesting here is that when DM released the all new and revised Basic Books, Scns were encouraged or even told to throw out or destroy their earlier editions. It seems that some Scns too this to extremes and actually burned the earlier editions. So this may be a confusion of who is doing what becoming urban myth.

Hey Mutha. If you want to see what Marty is talking about — you don’t have to search far. It’s sickening and heartbreaking to watch the viciousness directed at good people, with intentional “Gaslight Effect” (you know the movie where Cary Grant covertly goes about trying to convince his wife she’s insane and losing her mind).

I just saw another Hater tactic, a video where two Scientologists on the street were depicted as distorted and insane (with a fisheye lens effect!) While the Scientology guys looked really upset, the Haters calmly and intentionally provoked the Scientology guys. It’s like: Poke em with a stick and when they yell platform how “crazy” they are.

The mini model is on playgrounds every day — ever been bullied by the calm (yet very vicious) mean bully? Is that calm bully the sane one?

It goes further — with Photo Shopped images intended to denigrate and humiliate Scientologists. Any Scientologst. Or digging up irrelevant and hurtful information about targets and splattering with intent to harm/cave in/humiliate. Yep, Haters do that. Yep, certain people in Scientology management do that.

The ability to differentiate differences and similarities is one definition of sanity in Scientology. The inability to distinguish differences and similarities is universally called insanity or prejudice or oblivion or delusion.

Go after the money grubbing heads who are abusing Scientology, who are pretending to be Scientologists, instead of the poor little guy on the street or the amazing people who left the management after dedicating years and their lives to truly wanting to make a difference to create a better world.

It may not be locking someone in a room but it is just as vicious to set out to destroy lives, peace of mind, hearts and souls with some of the most vicious, cruel buckshot I’ve ever witnessed.

So to be a really Bad Mutha, you gots to get the real bad guy. Otherwise you’re just another nasty, mean, vicious, hateful fool.

It is not ” everybody” — it isn’t every Scientologist and it isn’t every “Hater”, Behind those words is a human being.

Just as a point, it is you who equates anonymous with these extreme left. Anonymous is the new kid on the block, there are and have existed a number of hateful individuals and groups who do advocate such destruction. In Germany and in France and Greece, there have been attempts to ban scientology and in Germany you may not walk about with a Scientology book, openly.

Marty never even implied this side to be Anonymous per say. But as it is often said, if the shoe fits, wear it

Ask yourselves, “What did I do to help?” before castigating LRH. His life’s work was a matter of trial and error under extreme pressure and suppression from those who didn’t want to see a New Enlightenment.

I have good recall and I can’t think of a time when making the masses more aware and more self-determined has been good for business for the puppet masters.

Ron was, as he always maintained, one of us, not a deity. He had his faults – vanity and a quick temper being the worst – but they were far outweighed by the good in him.

If something didn’t work, he threw it out and went back to the drawing board. He never pretended to have all the answers, nor the only answer.

Scientology probably isn’t “the only way” but I don’t know of another one which can provide not just a happier state of existence but one that comes with a set of DIY instructions in case anything goes wrong. And this is why he was so adamant about following the steps he’d laid out. Not because his ego wouldn’t allow for improvisers but because he’d already run into the dead ends himself and found a way through.

In the 40s, LRH was making “one shot” Clears. I’m pretty sure I know how he did this but apart from putting a very wide smile on someone’s face, it wasn’t the answer to what you might call Homo Novis. It wasn’t sustainable and the recipients had no idea what had just happened to them other than they’d just gotten a lot bigger and a lot happier. So he set about building his Bridge.

And, by the way, to say the term Homo Novis is racist or elitist is – to return to Marty’s analogy – classic totalitarian doublespeak.

Homo Novis (“New Man”) means the creation of a state of an attainable enlightenment, kindness, understanding, powerfulness and knowledge. But that’s somehow elitist and racist according to the aparatchiks of the far Left Politburo, no?

Do you not believe people can become more enlightened?

Funny thing about the political spectrum, Marty, is that it’s not linear with the Left and Right at extreme ends but closer in shape to a horseshoe, so that communism and Fascism are almost touching and far, far away from the middle.

PS – Jim Logan: I meant to ack you for the long post you wrote to me on another thread. So … Thank You!

“The extreme, rebellious far left of the Scientology spectrum is occupied by those who would not be satisfied until every last word of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard was forever destroyed. The
the anti-Scientology extreme cut its teeth on the purported purpose line of restoring freedom of speech and thought on the subject. Ironically, that very group is now demanding that everything L Ron Hubbard ever issued be burned in one colossal Spanish Inquisition-esque bonfire.”

Really Marty ? aren’t you mocking up your own enemys here? Carefull now. Bookburning ? OMG. Anonymous can deliver On Source material because we crave information and multiply it. You need to stay on topic/target.

Who didn’t put the Ethics into Miscavige. Who should have done it. The group. Who was the group. The Church of Scientology. Who was part of the group? YOU Marty. That would have been called Justice. Basics.

Anonymous is putting in the Ethics in to the squirreled Church and that is painfull for you I can understand that. The Cancer that is David Miscasvige has grown to epic proportions. Anonymous actually is a better keeper of the Tech than the Church itself at the moment. Isn’t that Ironic.

Well I grant you one thing. Without the criminal behaviour of both the Church in its Present form and its “Leader”or COB there would be no Anonymous protests: Death, Destruction, Ruining lives, Drowning of a Judges dog for a favorable outcome, Child labor, Forced abortions, Fair gaming, Disconnection, Childabuse at those so called child reform ranches. The list goes on and on.

I choose a fun loving group with plackards and humor any day over a Criminal Organizartion with a Psychopat at the helm.

DM gone, Church reformed and not criminal, poof the guys with masks back into the Internet.

I do think you have written a pearl. don’t get stuck in this “they are so evil” vibe. Smile in the face of anger. It will get confused.

Here’s one interesting aspect: DM is ordering people to buy boxes of newly edited, print-on-demand books, and as I understand, also ordering them to “turn in” the faulty old editions that somehow slipped past LRH for 30 years or so. As it happens, I have a Freezone collection of PDFs on a CD that came out years ago. It was free and it’s searchable!

Meanwhile, Old Guard critics and Anonymous have been dumping the tech on the Internet for the past 15 years. Just go to Wikileaks. If it isn’t there, it soon will be.

Printing, like the traditional concept of copyright, is fast becoming outmoded, and the Cof$ can’t deal with it any better than the music industry can deal with MP3s.

As always, you’re expressing what I think but can’t communicate as clearly as you do. I can fully agree on your ideas. Thank you .
You are having an effect. The last Source magazine was better done. The sucesses were better written, and the people writing them where always referring to LRH (no Dm or RTC) and in BOLD letters that Flag is delivering the Expanded Grades.
Things are changing too slowly for me. Since 3 weeks now Scientologists (mainly on on 7 or 8) are visiting us and having very high Arc ,as never before, and they had no time for us before.
Nevertheless, it happens to them to make some sarcastic remarks about GAT or Scientologists or the Org and then change the subject very fast again. I don’t know what to think. Are they honest ? Or confused ? Or checking up the indicators ? Looking for answers ? As I don’t dare to openly communicate to them I’m in a riddle. What I see from their remarks, they know what Scientology really is and they know it’s not being applied, but I don’t know how to communicate to them in a simple way, that they understand and have no arc break or instantly disconnect. My whole lifetime I never had any problem to disseminate Scientology, but how can you disseminate Scientology to somebody that thinks he is one ?
The problem is that they have to write it down in their sessions. Is this freedom of thought ?

It is certainly NOT freedom of thought. I believe that the dichotomy of the confession vs. the sec check is at bottom on that score (please see segment of June SP Times series videos where I discussed this in some detail). I for one do and will not sec check. I will hear a confession and will keep no record of it and whatever the content it goes to the grave with me. I believe that the moment one enters into the auditing process (any kind, confessional or no) any consideration (third dynamic or otherwise) besides solely the betterment of the pc, the process is corrupted. It results in the sort of filtered thought you touch on above. It is Reverse Scn in my view.

Interesting Marty when I was giving Confessionals or the WH or Overt I pulled was in auditing. I used to just write “itsa Overt” or “itsa WH”, so the C/S knew that the PC answered the auditing question.

Any C/S who questioned me I referred to Ex Dn Tape 3 ‘Auditor Administration’, end of argument.

Now a days Auditors are forced to write the withhold or overt out in every sordid detail, despite what Ron says!

Worse, now the auditors don’t even note down the reasons why the person committed the overt in the justifications process run as part of a Confessional, which usually contain computations ,service facs and sometimes evil purposes that can later be run on R3SC or XDn!

They put a check mark there instead!

Never mind circle ’em in red so that they can be culled later!

Meaning much of the case gain the PC could have gotten on Expanded Grade IV and the right hand rundowns on Xdn is completely obliterated by a check mark!!!!!!

What they are currently doing with Confessionals aside from turning them into hostile interrogations, is reverse Scientology at its best or worst, depending on your POV.

Great answer ! It blew my mind. I didn’t know I was so charged on O/Ws and confessionals. I have more hope that one day I’ll be able to confess everything – in fact no big things- without having to worry ” what will they do with the data ?”. Your concept is very simple but I think it would work 100% on any Pc, when he knows the auditor takes it into the grave.
What Lrh data do backup that concept ?
Sorry for asking so foolishly but my experience has been mostly that when confessing something by the E.O. or Auditor or whoever it became very complicated afterwards; evals, References to study, a new C/S, conditions or whatever one can dream of….
I’m dreaming about a COS where you can go to an auditor and tell your stories and you get an ack on it and you can fully trust.

There is no single LRH Datum. But, you can start with the entire State of Man Congress lectures where he states that the ONLY reason Scientology was alive to that date – New Years 1960 – was that Scientologists could be trusted implicitly with people’s confidences.

Hello Mr Rathbun,
I want to thank you for opening up this dialogue. Like all literature, L Ron’s writings are open to interpretation. I have not met a member of Anonymous that has wanted to stop people from believing, just questioning those beliefs/practices which some find destructive. Understandably, people become defensive because DM has instigated antagonism on both sides. On the religious freedom watch website, there’s a forum that’s very telling of this particular circumstance. It’s sad to see people have been given the wrong impression.

I found it funny you wrote this, I wrote an article from the opposite side titled nearly the same:

I hope both sides realize what DM has been pulling. He gets Scientologists to hate Anonymous, then some Anonymous members get the impression Scientologists are bad. It’s a horrible trick he played on a lot of people. I’m pretty damn mad at him for doing so.

“That is Marty. His mom’s maiden name was Sundblom. Mark’s grandfather was
quite a successful commercial artist by the way. He is the one who did
the illustration he sold to Quaker Oats – the Quaker Oats Man. He also
did a famous Santa Claus figure. “

…and this! He gave us Santa: “Before the 1931 introduction of the Coca-Cola Santa Claus created by artist Haddon Sundblom, the image of Santa ranged from big to small and fat to tall. Santa even appeared as an elf and looked a bit spooky. ”http://bit.ly/3OVVPm
Two iconic things Coca Cola and Santa.

I hope I’m not posting too much. This blog is really inspiring. Just checked out the link at the end of Marty’s entry here…”Taking it to the Streets”. First line sung “You don’t know me but I’m your brother…!!”

The entire anti movement and the middle have been created by the lack of standard application of the tech. LRH was very much in the middle and let’s not forget that. I think Marty’s article is dead on, but we have to also understand that the “church” through squirrel actions has created a super-angry field and we need to focus all efforts on the madman who’s “at the helm”. I think as soon as this is handled and the SP is out of the way along with his policies we the field will clean up very, very fast.

@CorneliusAntoniusMartens
about this link – I visited the site – no freedom of speech for all (posts deleted)- rude language (calling anon idiots) – this is for me also extreme and I would not accept such kind of new leadership which such low ARC.
Why is it so hard to go a middle path ?

Cornelius Antonius Martens: I went to the site you linked. The blogger began with the fatuous statement that only those who had never left the church would be accepted to his “brave new guardian’s office.” Nuff said.

That was an excellent post. I will disagree with only one point: “DM seems to be working hard to turn the only road to total freedom into the rocky road to virtual captivity.”

You failed to qualify this adequately. Say rather “the only road to total freedom of which I am aware” and it’s accurate.

There’s a Buddhist parable that’s instructive in this regard, which I’ll paraphrase. It’s especially appropriate given the context you raised.

We’re all standing on the shores of a river of ignorance. Our goal is to cross that river and continue our journey on the other side. Some people swim across, some work to build bridges, and some construct rafts for themselves and their friends. When we get to the other side of the river, we don’t continue to carry the raft or bridge with us; it’s a means to an end.

RJ,
I had no trouble explaining to a ‘wog’ journalist that in DM’s Mythscavology, one can’t make a case gain. He did understand that it wasn’t just revealing a person’s confessional data as a complete betrayal of trust that is so foul, but the underlying fact that in LRH’s Scientology, what comes up and is addressed in a standard confessional and is handled standardly is GONE. Otherwise it wasn’t handled. Since it’s gone, over, outta there, and one more piece of the buried ‘evil’ of the world is as-ised, the entire culture benefits as well as the being who can now put his attention on the present and the future. What is really revealed by DM’s dredging of the files is his admission that he doesn’t credit that Scientology works. If in today’s Mythscavology the details of transgressions are important for the record and the underlying cause is not, that would follow. His intention is not to clear, but to restimulate and so we have him denying any gains were made and of course, in his case, the window through which he views the world, that is true.

For any pc I auditied and any transgression they ever confessed, when I said ‘Thank you for telling me that’ I applied my training on Acknowledgment, TR 2, and it was GONE, for them, and for me. THAT’S the point of the confession in the first place.

“The relative minority of Scientology haters (far, far left) – those who favor book banning and burning and coercive tactics used to alter people’s beliefs – similarly use the DM led suppression tactics to paint the entire religion of Scientology as pernicious and worthy of dismantling.”

Why do you even wish to bother commenting on such people? Who cares what they think?

Book burning was in fact practiced in the COS, Pasadena org on the release of the basics.

There are a lot of silly people to be found anywhere, if one cares to look.

The committed long term and productive critics almost to a man espouse the right of scientologists to practice scientology. Met lots of them.

Visited Karen Spaink and Zenon Parnousis in
Amsterdam a couple of times years ago. Wanted to shake their hand on all the help they did in
making scientology materials available to the
independant/ freezone communities. And I don’t just mean the very many upper level documents released by the swedish court.

When I look at DM’s antics with the Squirrel Busters, it crosses the line from being similar to Anonymous in general, to just plain indecent and harassing.
A) Aims:
Anonymous – Damages the Church of Scientology by denying CoS its ability to offer courses and materials without providing adequate information to potential patrons, as well as denying their ability to silence critics and criticism; using testimony of ex-members as reference.
SBs – Hurts independent Scientologists by sending ruffians to their home for purposes of harassment. Its really just psychological warfare.

B) Methods:
Anonymous – Partying music, dancing outside the org, printing flyers and cards for directing to websites and archived information that refers to real court cases, interviews, journal articles, etc… They information provided by former members and 3rd parties and makes it more readily available for WOGs to see.
SBs – Publicly lambasts and films Marty and his wife with no other aim but to admonish them to current CoS members. All materials distributed are fabricated by the Church of Scientology and based entirely on DM’s hate for Marty and independent Scientology.

D) Price
SB – $20,000 or more
Anonymous – Less than that over the past 3 years. Our auctions for assisting others in fighting court cases launched by CoS have gone up to 10,000 at most.

E) Time
Anonymous – Once per month with occasional flash-protests on a weekend.
SB – 24/7

I also find it ironic how DM claimed victory over Anonymous, and yet here he is adopting Anonymous-like tactics, but escalating it to levels that can be interpreted as illegal. This is the sign of a very sick and defeated man getting more and more desperate.

Revelatory. You noted “I also find it ironic how DM claimed victory over Anonymous.” I heard rumor of that but saw no substantiation that he made the claim. But it sounds like him – would fit right in with the plethora of lies that roll off his tongue with such apparent ease.